The Southampton defender is angry and believes they have gone back on a deal to sell him for £20m - double what they paid for him a year ago

Liverpool target Dejan Lovren has blasted Southampton for trying to price him out of a dream move to Anfield.

Furious Lovren claims Saints have gone back on an agreement to sell him for £20million by rejecting two bids from the Reds.

The Croatia international, who has threatened to go on strike to force through the transfer, rapped: “Liverpool sent the offer and the club haven’t informed me. Not even about the subsequent Liverpool bids.

“That wasn’t right. I found out about the bid from other people which disappointed me and I realised I’ve got no business staying at Southampton.

“Liverpool sent a £20m offer and Southampton paid nine million for me, so they would’ve earned twice the amount.

“They are now looking for £25m, but I don’t think they’ll get it. At this point, I don’t know what I’ll do and I don’t like it.

“It was unbelievable that a few days ago I had an offer of £20m. It was in the morning and by the afternoon the club had said I was not for sale.

“Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool.”

Lovren raised a few eyebrows when he signed for Southampton rather than looking for a deal at one of the Premier League’s bigger fish.

But now that Liverpool are prepared to put big money on the table, the 25-year-old thinks it is time to move.

And even though he will undoubtedly leave the Saints' fans dismayed by his thoughts, his experience of playing at Anfield for the south coast club was enough to convince him that he cannot pass up the opportunity to play for such a famous name.

“The last time I played at Anfield, I got chills when I heard ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’ I would like to listen to it all the time.”

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Kop that: Lovren scored for Southampton as they won at Anfield last season

Lovren is furious that a bid of £20m from Liverpool was turned down, with Southampton holding out for something closer to £25m before they will consider selling to Brendan Rodgers side.

But Lovren has other bones to pick with his current employers over wider issues at the St Mary’s club.

And he has accused Saints of losing their ambition in the wake of the departures of chairman Nicola Cortese and manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Already this summer, the club has sold captain and midfielder Adam Lallana and striker Rickie Lambert to Liverpool and full-back Luke Shaw to Manchester United, while midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is a target for Arsenal.

The centre-back claims he knew Pochettino would be leaving to join Tottenham as early as April – two months before the Argentine quit.

Lovren, signed from Lyon last summer and speaking to Croatian sports newspaper Sportske Novosti, said: “Honestly, I don’t know who the main man at the club is anymore.

“I’d gladly stay in Southampton if the club had any ambitions, if they kept the key players. Not even the Liverpool bid would have dissuaded me.

“When I decided to go to Southampton, many people were surprised, but I went because the people at the club had great ambition. They gave me assurances about the project – Nicola and Mauricio convinced me. They gave me incredible confidence.

“When I began training there, I realised they had a very good team. They promised to buy two more players, and bought Dani Osvaldo and Victor Wanyama.

“They are great players. The aim was to qualify for Europe, to get into the Europa League at least.

“Suspicions were raised. I asked Mauricio what was happening and he couldn’t say whether or not he would stay on or make promises for the next five or six years about investment in the club, challenging for the Champions League, making new signings or keeping key players.

“It was because of that I’d agreed to sign for Southampton. When the chairman left, and Pochettino was going too as early as April, I realised things had fallen apart.”